Intertainment, Franchise Take Battles to Court

German entertainment company Intertainment and flamboyant film producer Elie Samaha’s Franchise Pictures sued each other on Thursday as a long-simmering feud among the partners spilled into the courts.

Intertainment sued Franchise in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, alleging it was duped by Franchise into overpaying by $75 million for the European rights to such films as “Battlefield Earth,” “Get Carter” and “The Whole Nine Yards.”

Intertainment lawyer Scott A. Edelman said that Intertainment pays Franchise 47% of the film budgets in exchange for the rights. But Intertainment discovered that Franchise overcharged the company by inflating the size of the reported budgets, he said.

Intertainment also said that Franchise President Andrew Stevens met with Intertainment last weekend and offered to resolve the dispute by paying Intertainment from $25 million to $35 million, and buying back the rights to films. Intertainment, which said it turned down the offer, also said that its allegations were confirmed in those meetings.

Franchise’s lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Intertainment engaged in “foot-dragging, delays, excuses and outright breaches.” It also alleges that Intertainment used Franchise to prop up the value of its stock price.

After success with “The Whole Nine Yards” starring Bruce Willis, Franchise produced a series of box-office duds, including “Battlefield Earth” starring John Travolta and “Get Carter” with Sylvester Stallone.